Induction of Differentiation in K562 Cell Line
Nicotinic Acid-Related Compounds

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1271/bbb.80483

Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide are members of the vitamin B family. They are precursors of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an important molecule involved in energy metabolism. Furthermore, it is used in important biochemical reactions, viz., ADP-ribosylation1) and NAD-dependent deacetylation2) of various proteins. In eukaryotic cells, poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is related to DNA repair, cell death, transcription, DNA replication, cell cycle, and so on. Recently, it was reported that life span is regulated by sirtuin families, which are important factors in NAD-dependent deacetylation. We have been investigating nicotinic acid-related compounds to identify new physiological and pharmacological functions. In a previous study, we found that several nicotinic acid-related compounds, particularly picolinic acid, dipicolinic acid, and isonicotinamide induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells and other human cancer cells. Nicotinic acid hydrazide and isonicotinic acid hydrazide showed radical-scavenging activities. The HL-60 cell line has been used as a model in studying myeloid cell differentiation.

Treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been found to cause HL-60 to differentiate into granulocytes. In contrast, treatment with vitamin D3 induces differentiation into monocytes. We have found that three nicotinic acid-related compounds, isonicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and nicotinamide N-oxide induced granulocytic differentiation in HL-60 cells.

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White Blood Cells
Monocytes Granulocytes

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/body/white-blood-cells.html

White blood cells are the cells that help the body fight infection There are a number of different types and sub-types of white blood cells which each have different roles to play.

The three major types of white blood cells are:

Granulocytes
Monocytes
Lymphocytes

Granulocytes:

There are three different forms of granulocytes:

Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils

Granulocytes are phagocytes, that is they are able to ingest foreign cells such as bacteria, viruses and other parasites.

Granulocytes are so called because these cells have granules of enzymes which help to digest the invading microbes. Granulocytes account for about 60% of our white blood cells.

Neutrophils are by far the most prevalent of these cells. Each neutrophil cell can ingest up to between around 5 and 20 bacteria in its lifetime.

Eosinophils are involved in allergic reactions and can attack multicellular parasites such as worms.

Basophils are also involved in allergic reactions and are able to release histamine, which helps to trigger inflammation, and hepari, which prevents blood from clotting.